Meet the Exosuit – a 6.5-foot tall, 530 pound, aluminum alloy atmospheric diving system that stands to change the way we explore the ocean deep. Designed to envelop a single human occupant in surface atmosphere conditions at depths of up to 1,000 feet, stepping into this articulated, human-shaped shell is like putting on a custom-tailored submarine.

Nuytco via AMNH

On display at the American Museum of Natural History until March 5, the Exosuit pictured here is built and designed by Vancouver's Nuytco Research. Currently the only suit of its kind, similar suits have been worn to perform internal repairs on NYC water supply pipes, but the first production Exosuit will be put through its paces this July, when researchers on the Stephen J. Barlow Bluewater Expedition will use it to explore a gaping stretch of ocean floor called "The Canyons." For more details on the suit, check out Leslie Horn's in-depth feature over at Gizmodo.